1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to verification of temperature compensation in electrometers, and specifically relates to verification of temperature compensation in electrometers using heat application.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Electrometers are used to convert relatively low amperage current signals to voltage signals for processing. In one example, electrometers can be used to convert the low amperage current signals from the output of a high pressure ionization chamber of an environmental radiation monitor. In one example, one or more environmental radiation monitors can be deployed in the field proximate to known radiation sources such as nuclear power generation stations to monitor radiation levels. Of course, environmental radiation monitors can be deployed anywhere that it is desirable to monitor radiation levels. As such, the environmental radiation monitors can be subjected to various environmental conditions. The environmental conditions may include temperature variation.
Temperature change can induce operational drift of some operating components of the electrometer can cause unreliable performance of the monitor. Such, change in operation can be referred to as temperature drift. Correction factors are implemented into the operating components of the electrometer to compensate for the temperature drift. Other factors can negatively affect the correction factor performance of the electrometer. For example, forms of water such as increased humidity or condensation that come into contact with the critical parts of the electrometer can negatively affect the correction factor. In another example, a service technician may have implemented an incorrect correction factor into the electrometer. In yet another example, the correction factor may simply have been “lost” by an electronic controller. Each of these events can cause the radiation readings of the environmental radiation monitor to be unstable at times, or even wrong at all times. As a result, it is difficult for an end user of the environmental radiation monitor to determine whether the correction factors remain accurate over time. Therefore, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method for verifying the temperature compensation correction factor accuracy of an electrometer.